You learned a skill in grade school that can set your content apart today.
Verbs can make all the difference in your sentences.
That lesson learned in elementary school will let your content stand out in the proliferation of boring, weak, and ineffective language. By slashing through those wasted, wimpy verbs, your content will pack a bigger punch and better motivate your audience.
Study these four tips and related before-and-after examples to get ideas for peppering powerful verbs into your writing. The “before” excerpts come from paragraphs in writing-advice articles I found online and from my work. (I do love irony.)
1. Know the subject for an active verb
Passive verbs work best when the subject of an action is unknown, explains the Guide to Grammar and Writing. Example: “The bicyclist was injured in a hit-and-run accident.” Since the driver (i.e., subject) is unknown, this sentence couldn’t work in active voice.
But many writers weaken their sentences by using passive verb forms too often. Passive voice creates rudderless sentences. Active verbs, on the other hand, create visuals, instill emotions, and motivate readers.
Consider this verb transformation example. The passive version: “Jane is a shining example of why you should study hard.” Now the active version: “Jane shines as an example of why you should study hard.”
2. Move verbs into the open
The U.S. government operates a website devoted to writing effectively. Hidden verbs make the don’t-use checklist: “A hidden verb (or nominalization) is a verb converted into a noun. It often needs an extra verb to make sense. For example, ‘Please make an application for a personal loan’ is longer and less clear than ‘Please apply for a personal loan.’”
The Writing Cooperative notes hidden verbs usually end with -tion, -sion, -ment, -ance, and –al. It shares this example:
- Before: We will conduct a demonstration of the process
- After: We will demonstrate the process.
Stop using hidden verbs. They often end in -tion, -sion, -ment, -ance, and –al.
3. Minimize connecting
Linking verbs – usually forms of “to be” – connect the subject to the subject or adjective complement (a descriptor of the subject). Think of forms like am, is, are, was, were, be, been, and being. Scribbr notes linking verbs also can encompass the senses, such as taste, sound, smell, feel, and look.
Here’s an example of a linking verb: “The cat is asleep.”
Now, change that linking to an active verb: “The cat sleeps.”
Here’s an example from Syntaxis: “Laquita is being a poor sport.”
But with the linking verbs removed and an action one thrown in: “Laquita lost the game and tossed the chessboard.”
Omitting linking verbs allows writers to better illustrate what happens because they require more explanation….Read More